Animal Planet unleashes trio

Network to bow three new series

Apparently aiming to capitalize on the success of its rebranding last year, Animal Planet announced three series debuts for the first half of ’09.

“Animal Armageddon,” from the Digital Ranch shingle, is a CGI-driven portrayal of catastrophic events in the natural history of the Earth and their effects on the planet’s fauna. The eight-parter bows in February.

In a more verite vein, “extreme angler” Jeremy Wade hosts the largely self-explanatory “River Monsters,” which profiles a different freshwater predator in each of its seven segs. The Icon Films production premieres in April.

May brings “Beverly Hills Groomer,” a spinoff from Animal Planet reality hit “Groomer Has It.” The skein will follow the winner of the groomer of the year nod, Artist Knox, as he struggles to open a canine clip joint in L.A. Series comes from “Has It” producer 3Ball Prods.